Maghera driver Eugene Donnelly takes a half minute lead into the third and final day of Rally Isle of Man, sponsored by TOTAL.
The reigning Pirelli Irish Tarmac champion has attacked throughout mixed weather conditions on this twelve hour, twelve stage leg.
At the start of the day it was that weather and tyre choice that was the talk of the TT Grandstand. Most of the leading crews went out on slick tyres with varying degrees of cuts in them to cope with what we were told was one damp stage and then two drying tests.
Further rain before the crews made it to the Druidale opener meant overnight leader Kenny McKinstry’s late decision to fit intermediate tyres to his Subaru WRC was correct, pushing the lead over Derek McGarrity out to almost ten seconds, with Donnelly and co-driver Paul Kiely a further eight back in their Toyota Corolla WRC.
Behind, Andreas Mikkelsesn was an early casualty, putting the 2005 Ford Focus WRC off the road and by the time he got it out was OTL.
McKinstry is rarely beaten through the Curraghs, so Donnelly taking two seconds was a bit of a suprise. In the dry of the next stage it was McGarrity’s turn to go fastest as if to prove there was no ideal selection for all of the tests. Kenny and co-driver Noel Orr led by 8.1 seconds at this point, Donnelly having leap-frogged McGarrity by half a second.
Behind, in the big battle for Tesco 99 Octane British Championship points, Mark Higgins was alone in picking a wet set-up, even his own team-mate in the Stobart VK Subaru team, Julian Reynolds took a cut dry tyre.
Was it therefore local weather knowledge that aided Mark’s decision? Whatever, to top 3 stage times helped him and Rory Kennedy to ease away from the pack, and up to fifth overall as Mel Evans blew the turbo on his Subaru WRC.
Donnelly popped in two stage wins before lunch to take the lead and went about extending it through the rest of the day. 'We wouldn't want to go any harder that's for sure, some of those flat in sixth bits are too much!'
Meantime a spin and a stall on the start line in Ramsey late afternoon cost McGarrity who slipped back a little.
The works Misubishi’s of Rory Galligan and Ryan Champion continued to search for the right suspension set-up throughout the day, but it came to nothing. First Galligan rolled out this afternoon in the north of the island; then Champion ripped a wheel off on a treacherous final test of the day that also caught out Seamus Leonard’s Mitsubishi as well.
The battle to watch over tomorrow’s final 7 stages could be for second, Derek just 15 seconds behind Kenny. Eamonn Boland holds fourth in his Focus WRC.
Higgins advantage over Guy Wilks is 2:46.6, then Jonny Milner comes into third BRC driver in his Mitsubishi, today a better day for the Yorkshireman.
It’s along way to go, plenty of stage mileage yet. Is Kenny going to be the bridesmaid yet again?

In the Conister Trust-supported historic event, overnight leaders Steven Smith and John Nicholl crashed their Porsche 911 out on the opening stage of the day.
That heralded a huge fight for the lead. First the baton passed to MkI Ford Escort man David Stokes, but he was overhauled by McRae and then Adrian Kermode topped the sheets (both in Porsche 911’s).
However, no sooner had local man Kermode snatched the lead a blown engine signalled retirement and three times former international victor McRae was back at the helm.
Gareth Lloyd edged his MkII Escort past Stokes and that’s how it stayed for the rest of the day. With all three separated by less than 15 seconds the final day is going to be interesting viewing, particularly with Mcrae’s team working after the end of the leg to try to cure a mis-fire.
Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride (Porsche 911) are still the leading true historic, ahead of BTCC race ace Patrick Watts (Sunbeam Tiger).